Citation

Speechley M, Belfry S, Borrie MJ, Bray Jenkyn K, Crilly R, Gill DP, McLean S, Stolee P, Vandervoort AA, Jones GR. Can. J. Aging 2005; 24(3): 261-274.

Affiliation

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, K201 Kresge Building, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada. Email: speechly@uwo.ca.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Cambridge Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16421850

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the prevalence and strength of association of risk factors for falling in Canadian veterans of World War II and Korea and their caregivers. Methods: Questionnaires were sent to addresses of 3,000 Canadian veterans (response rate(1/4)70%). Risk factors for falls mand the frequency of falls and injurious falls in the past 12 months were collected. Results: Veterans had more risk factors than did caregivers, and more had fallen in the past year (39.8% vs. 29.7%). Risk factors in the logistic model for veterans included lower extremity disability (odds ratio 1.98, 95% confidence interval 1.5-2.6); lower extremity weakness (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.3-2.3); worse memory than peers (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.1-2.5); one or more visits to the family doctor in the past month (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.2-2.0); and worse memory than 5 years ago (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.0-1.8). Conclusions: Veterans appear more frail and prone to falling than their caregivers.